Thank you so much for the reviews. I know this appears to be a lot of fluff. But, things will start to change in the chapters following this one.

Chapter 3

11:45…Henry glanced down at his watch to check his heart rate. That's when he saw her text from 20 minutes ago…."Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." He slowed his jog down as he read it and grinned. His agents slowed down with him as did Hope. The agents didn't seem to mind but Hope did. She growled at him.

"Okay, let's keep going girl. I missed you too this week, but now the travel is over for a few months. Gotta get ready for another inauguration." He picked his pace up again heading back to the house.

3:15 and he stood by the door looking at his watch. He was late but she was even later than him. They should have left over a half hour ago. The day had been a little crazy as they were settling back into life without being on the campaign. Following her text, Henry worked with Chef Cindy to make the same meal they had their first Christmas Eve. She had no idea.

"I'm sorry. I was about to leave and got a call from Allie and had to go back in. Then, I had to run up and change. I tried calling you," she was rambling and in a mood but he was checking out her outfit. Skinny jeans, a red plaid shirt and an ivory white vest over it. LL Bean boots. Her hair was pulled halfway up in a barrette.

"No worries, babe. Let's just go so we can pick the trees out while there is still some daylight," he led her to the car with his hand on the small of her back.

He got in the car first as she always had to sit on the passenger side. As he slid across and she ducked in and asked, "Did you get my text?"

"I did," he settled in buckling his seatbelt. He offered her nothing else as he was trying to surprise her.

She looked out the window as the city passed by them and they made their way into Virginia. He glanced over to see if she would look his way. But, she didn't. Her mind off in another space.

"How was your day?" he asked, trying to change the subject so he wouldn't give away the surprise.

She quickly stared back at him, "Fairly easy. Heading into the holidays after an election, it always gets better." She was a little short and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Everything okay with Allie?" he asked not making eye contact with her so she could continue to look out the window.

She waved her hand back at him, "She's upset because one of this new boyfriend's…" Henry interrupted, "Michael."

"Yes, that guy. His cousin didn't pass his security check with Secret Service for Thanksgiving. So, that's a whole thing now," she sighed.

"Looks like she is going to have to come home after all," Henry smiled at her.

"That's what I said. But, she freaked and complained about going to the farmhouse and how boring it is even with Stevie and the kids there. When did she become this uppity person?" Now, she made eye contact with him.

"When she started dating the son of very wealthy New Yorkers." Henry answered.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "I want my daughter back. I'd return all their campaign donations for that." She went back to staring out the window as the sun began to set in the sky.

It was silent in the car for a while before she spoke again.

"Are you not playing the game anymore? You didn't answer," she pouted.

"No, we're still playing and I did not forget the memory. But, I do think you need to be more patient," he winked at her.

She smiled and looked back out the window, taking his hand in hers.

"I hate riding in this car. I can't wait to drive again," she complained.

Matt turned and said from the front, "That's gonna be awhile, Ma'am."

She shrugged her shoulders at him as Henry laughed, "Four years and two months, babe."

She threw her head back on the headrest.

Matt spoke up again, "I reached out to Bonnie. She said that this cousin has a few drug charges and a firearm charge."

Henry asked, "How long ago?"

"Not long enough. Last year," he answered.

Henry looked over at Elizabeth. "Well, she has two choices. Upset herself and just come home for Thanksgiving or upset her new boyfriend's whole family by stating the cousin can't be there."

Elizabeth answered without looking back at him, "I'll take the latter. Can you call her later?"

He looked at her, "She called you about this. Why do I have to be the bad guy?"

"Because I am the leading the free world and you always deal with security matters, that's why." She was back to not making eye contact as the motorcade continued to speed down the highway. Something else was up, she was preoccupied.

"I don't remember it taking this long to get here last year," she said.

"Just about 15-20 more minutes," he said not giving her anymore clues.

"How is that possible? We've already been on the road…" she looked at her watch. "For a HALF-HOUR?! Where are we going?"

He shrugged at her, "To the Christmas Tree Farm. You complained about the one we went to last year so Jay told me he found a different one!"

"Well, this one is too far. At this point, we should just go to the farmhouse." It was then that she realized. She looked at him as her mouth fell open, "Henry, you sneak!"

He started to laugh as she whacked him on the arm. He made arrangements for them to go to their Christmas Tree Farm. The one where he bought their first tree on their first Christmas together. The place they brought the kids to cut down trees over the years.

"Are John and Betty going to be there?" she asked.

"I hope so! I spoke to them this morning." He smiled back at her.

"Please say we are going to the farmhouse afterwards. I miss my horses. It's been months since I have seen them," she begged.

"I know. And we are," he answered quietly.

She reached over and kissed him, "You are the best man beside the woman!"

Almost an hour later in the dark they were still trekking through the tree farm with agents all around them and Henry might have been regretting this whole idea.

"How about this one? This looks great nice and full," he was begging her.

"I like that for the farmhouse but not the White House. It's not as tall as the first one we picked out" she answered, stepping back and crossing her arms as she looked it up and down.

"Okay. We'll take this one for the farmhouse and find the other one back up at the front. I can't chop these down in the dark and our agents are getting anxious. Step back," he smiled at her.

She smiled back while Matt rolled his eyes at Frank, thinking this could take all night. Normally, Elizabeth McCord was a great decision maker, but they have learned not when it comes to Christmas trees.

They used the cart and dragged both trees back to the front of the farm. Thankfully, it only took Elizabeth another fifteen minutes to find the perfect tree for their residence at the White House.

They got back into the car as a truck took two trees back to DC and Mitch took the farmhouse tree in his truck. He also picked a small one out for the barn for the horses.

In the car, Elizabeth leaned over and rested her head on Henry, the exhaustion from the past few months hitting her hard as she now took a break. Her left hand entwined in his right as he rubbed the top of her hand.

Henry began talking to her, softly even though the privacy shield was up. "The first time I went to John and Betty's it was Christmas Eve and it was snowing that afternoon. Your apartment wasn't that big so I trekked through the storm to find a small tree. Took me forever."

"I loved that tree," she said back quietly. "It was so perfect."

He looked out the window checking for how close they were to the house. It wasn't that far. He didn't want her falling asleep just yet.

"You were at the library. I was supposed to leave for Pittsburgh but the storm had dumped several inches there and was making its' way to Charlottesville. The night before you told me you were staying at school. I didn't have the heart to leave you there alone. So, I called my mother, used the storm as an excuse to cancel." He was now moving their fingers around to keep her awake.

"Thankfully, we had already given each other the keys to our apartments." He paused, "and our hearts. As fast as I could before they closed, I hit the store for decorations and the grocery store."

"When I came back from the library, your car was out front. I ran up the stairs, opened the door. The place smelled so good with your lasagna baking in the oven and the room was lit by only the tree, candles on the table and the white lights you had strung on the walls near the ceiling," she finished.

They were about to pull into the farm, Henry finished the memory, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" was playing on the radio. The timing could not be more perfect."

She looked up, "WHAT?!" as she noticed he changed the tense from past to the present.

He pointed out the window guiding her to look. The farmhouse was lit with white lights on its' perimeter. White candles in each of the windows. The pasture fence also lit with the most beautiful garland strung along it.

"Henry," she sighed.

The car pulled up to the front door. Matt got out and opened the door, "Have a nice evening, Madam President, Dr. McCord."

They entered the house with the warmth and the smell of Henry's lasagna hitting them. She loved it here so much. It was always cozy and home to her. Normally, they would have decorated the interior as a family the weekend after Thanksgiving but it was all done.

She glanced around at the tree they had just picked standing there in its' stand waiting to fall into place. The garland with little white lights was strung up the stairs giving off a glow to the stairwell. The fireplace adorned with garland and all of their other decorations were placed perfectly throughout the house.

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" was playing from the kitchen speaker.

"Henry, how did you do all of this?" she asked, still amazed at his ability to surprise her in the most loving ways.

"I had some help from Mitch and Susie. We would have been too tired to decorate next week and I wanted to surprise you. I reached out to them after you texted me. They did all this while I cooked back at the residence and packed our dinner in coolers to make the ride, which is why I was late getting downstairs."

"We really need to start paying Mitch more," she replied.

He laughed, "You hungry?"

"Starving!" she answered.